Black holes beguile scientists and the public alike with their inevitability and extremes. They act as one-way portals: once inside, nothing, not even light, can escape. But that property, which makes them such excellent players in science-fiction stories, also makes them difficult to study, because black holes by themselves in empty space are nearly silent. Thus of the hundred million or so black holes expected to be in our Milky Way galaxy, only about thirty have been identified with confidence. Fortunately, in just the last year a powerful new tool has emerged to study black holes and other compact objects: gravitational waves. Professor Miller will discuss, with demonstrations, the properties of black holes and strong gravity, and will look forward to a universe that we can now see with new eyes.

Professor Miller, the IAS Distinguished Visiting Fellow, is one of the leading authorities in theoretical astrophysics, particularly in the study of black holes and neutron stars.

The talk begins at 7:00 pm, in the Large Lecture Theatre of the Poynting Physics Building (R13 on the campus map) on the University's Edgbaston campus. The University's website has directions to the Edgbaston campus and how to find the Poynting Physics Building; the lecture theatre is on the second floor (S). The event is suitable for all ages. All under-18s must be accompanied by a parent, teacher or guardian.